Receptacle for bottles and the like



B. DOUGAN.

RECEPTACLE FOR BOTTLES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4| 1921.

@we Gaya/7 .Er @cro/QQ g rrr.

BRUCE DOUG-AN', 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

RCEPTACLE FOR BOTTLES AND TEE LIKE.

To all whoml t may concern.'

Beit known that I, BRUCE DOUGAN, aA

citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of St. Louis'andState of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful lImprovements in Receptacles for Bottles and the like, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in receptacles for bottles and the likeand more particularly to a receptacle provided with -means for preventing displacement of objects contained therein. The main object 1of the invention is to produce a receptacle equipped with a simple means whereby bottles, and other objects which do not completely fill the receptacle, can be securely held to prevent displacement thereof.

As an illustration of one form of the invention, I have shown and will hereafter describe a bottle-receptacle in the form of a refrigerator containing a device whereby the bottles are separated from each other and firmly held between a pressure member and the bottom of the receptacle. More specifically stated, the lower ends of the bottles are seated in pockets at the bottom of the receptacle, and the pressure member engages the shoulders of the bottles. The bottles are thus separated from each other. As a means for securely holding the bottles in the receptacle,-I have shown a device whereby pressure may be transmitted from j the inner face of the receptacle-closure to the pressure member, thus 'clamping the bottles between the pressure member and the pockets at the bottom of the receptacle.

In the preferred form of the invention, there are two independently movable pressure members, each adapted to engage a number of bottles, so the device will coperate with bottles of different dimensions. To secure the bottles it is only necessary to close the lid or closure of the receptacle, for the bottles are held through the medium of pressure transmitted from` the closure to the pressure members which engage the shoulders of the bottles. The pressure transmitting means preferably includes vertically adjustable -separating devices extending from the inner face of the receptacle closure to the respective pressure members, and

these separating devices can be adjusted in.

dependently of each other,- so that one pres- Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led February 4, 1921.

Patented July 5, 1921. serial No. 442,523.

sure member ma tively smallor s pressure member bottles.

Figure I is a top or plan view, illustrating a .refrigerator embodying the features of th1s invention, a portion of the closure being broken away to show the pressure members, and portions of the pressure members being broken away at points near the middle ofthe view. j

Fig. I I is a vertical section of the apparatus shown in Fig. I.

Fig. III is a transverse section taken approximately through the middle of Fig. II.

Fig. IV is an enlarged detail view showing one of the adjustable separating devlces.

The body of the receptacle herein shown comprises an outer compartment 1 and an inner compartment 2 located therein and separated therefrom to provide a space for insulating material 3. 4 designates a main closure secured to the receptacle by means of hinges 5 and adapted to be held in its closed position by meansof fastening devices 6. A handle 7 is attached to the top of the main closure. 8 designates a supplemental closure having a marginal flange 9 which lies between the main closure and the top of the inner compartment 2. This supplemental closure 8 is not connected to the mainv closure 4, but it is preferably provided with a handle- 10 which engages the inner face of the vmain closure.

The bottom 11 of the inner compartment is provided with upwardly extending flanges 12 forming pockets for the lower ends of bottles B which are seated on the bottom 11 of the inner compartment. 13 designates an ice container located in the inner compartment.

Pressure members 15 and 15 are provided with openings 16 for ythe reception of the necks of the bottles. Thes'e pressure members may be properly termed bottle separators for they separate the bottles from each other, and they preferably engage the shoulders of the bottles. Each pressure member, or separator, may be in the form of a thin, flat board removably mounted in the receptacle to permit removal of the bottles. These members 15 and 15 can be moved vertically, independently of each other, so that one of said members may be engaged with comparatiyely small or short bottles be used to hold comparaort bottles while the other is used to secure larger wlfhile the other is engaged with larger bott es.

As an illustration of a suitable means for retaining the members 15 and 15 1n engag-ement with the bottles, I have shown a vertical post 17 secured to and extending upwardly from the member 15, and a similar post 17 extending upwardly from the member 15. Each post 17-17 is provided at its upper end with a metal plate 18 which is threaded to receive a vertically adjustable screw 19 having a head engaging the inner face of the supplemental closure 8.

After the members 15 and 15 have been properly seated on the shoulders of the bottles B, the screws 19 are adjusted to positions wherein their heads will be engaged by the inner face of supplemental closure 8 when the latter occuples its closed position. It will now be understood that pressure can be transmitted from the closure 8 to the members 15 and l5 so as to force said members into engagement with the shoulders of the bottles, thereby clamping the bottles between the bottom 1l of the receptacle and the members 15 and 15. Howeveig it is to i be' understood that the pressure of these members 15 and 15 need not be very great, but they should be retained in engagement with the bottles, and this result can be obtained by adjusting the screws 19 on the posts 17 and 17 which separate the members 15 and 15 from the closure..

Yielding material 2l,` such as mineral wool, or cotton, is. interposed between a fabric lining 20 and the top of the main closure. Through the medium of the yieldable elements 2O and 21, pressure can be transmitted from the main closure to the handle 10 -on the supplemental closure 8, so as to yieldingly force the supplemental closure onto the screws 19 through which pressure is transmitted to the members 15 and 15.

I claim:

1. A receptacle having a closure, a pressure member movably mounted in the receptacle and adapted to engage an object contained therein, and means whereby pressure is transmitted from said closure to said pressure member so Vas to secure the object in the receptacle, said means including an adjustable member through which the pressure is transmitted and -said adjustable member being adjustable relative to the closure and pressure member.

2. A bottle-receptacle having a closure, a pressure member movably mounted in said bottle-receptacle and adapted to engage a bottle contained therein, the bottom of said 'receptacle being provided with a seat for the bottom of the bottle and said pressure member having an opening for the reception 0f the neck of the bottle, and. means whereby pressure is transmitted from said vclosure to said pressure member so as to firmly secure the bottle in the receptacle.

3. A bottle-receptacle having a closure, a pressure member movably mounted in said bottle-receptacle and adapted to engage a bottle contained therein, the bottom of said receptacle being provided with a seat for thebottom of the bottle and said pressure member having an opening for the reception of the neck of the bottle, and means whereby pressure is transmitted from said closure to said pressure member so as to lirmly secure the bottle in the receptacle, said means including an adjustable member through which the pressure is transmitted from said closure to said pressure member, and said adjustable member being adjustable relative to said closure and pressure member.

4. A bottle-receptacle having a closure, a bottle-separator comprising a pressure member movably mounted lin said bottle-receptacle and adapted to engage the shoulders of bottles contained therein, said'pressure i member being provided with openings for the reception of the necks of the bottles and the bottom of said receptacle being provided with seats for the bottoms of the bottles, and means whereby pressure is transmitted tosaid pressure member so as to clamp the bottles between said pressure member and the bottom of said receptacle.

5. A bottle-receptacle having a closure, -a

bottle-separator comprising a' pressure member movably mounted in said bottle-receptacle and adapted to engage the shoulders of bottles contained therein, said ressure member being provided with openings for the reception of the necks of the bottles and the bottom of said receptacle being provided with seats for the bottoms of the bottles and means whereby pressure is transmitted from said closure to said pressure member so as to secure the bottles between said pressure member andthe bottom of said receptacle, said means including a vertically adj ustable pressure transmittmg device extending from said pressure member to the inner face of said closure.v

a 6. A bottle-receptacle having a closure, a bottle-separator movably mounted in said bottle-receptacle and ada ted to engage the shoulders of the bottles t erein, said bottleseparator being provided with openings for the reception of the necks of the bottles and the bottom of said receptacle being provided with seats for the bottoms of the bottles, and a separating device extending from the inner face of said closure to said bottle-separator to retain the latterr in engagementwith the bottles.

7. A bottle-receptacle having a closure, a bottle-separator movably mounted in said bottle-receptacle and adapted to engage the independently movable separator being provided with openings for the reception of the necks of the bottles and the bottom of said receptacle being provided with seats for the bottoms of the bottles, and a separating device extending from the inner face of said closure to said bottle-separator to retain the latter in engagement with the bottles, said separating device including a vertically adjustable member adapted to transmit pressure from said closure to said bottle-separator.

8. A bottle-receptacle having a closure, bottle separators mounted in said bottle-receptacle and adapted to engage the shoulders of bottles contained therein, each of said bottle-separators being provided with a series of openings for the reception of the bottle necks and the bottom of said receptacle being provided with seats for the bottoms of the bottles, and means for transmitting pressure from said closure to said bottle separators so as to secure the bottles between said separators and the bottom of the receptacle, said means including vertically adjustable pressure-transmitting devices adapted to transmit pressure from said closure to the respective bottle sep-arators, and said pressuretransmitting devices being adjustable independently of each other.

9. A bottle-receptacle having a closure, independently movable bottle separators mounted in said bottlereceptacle and adapted to engage the shoulders of bottles contained therein, each of said bottle-separators being provided with a series of openings for the reception of the bottle necks and the bottom of said receptacle being provided with pockets for the bottoms of the bottles,

and separating means interposed between said closure and said bottle-separators so as to secure the bottles between said bottle-separators and the bottoms of said pockets, sald separating means including vertically adjustable separating devices extending from the Liner face of said closure to the respective bottle-separators, and said vertically adjustable separating devices being adjustable independently of each other.

10. A receptacle provided with a refrigerating compartment, a main closure hinged to said receptacle, a supplemental closure interposed between said main closure and the top of said refrigerating compartment, said main closure being adapted to engage a part of said supplemental closure, the bottom of said compartment being pro-vided with said bottle-holding pockets, and a bottle-clamping device including independently movable pressure members mounted in said compartment and adapted to engage the shoulders of the bottles in said bottle-holding pockets, each of said pressure members having openings forV the reception of the necks of the bottles engaged thereby, and means whereby pressure is transmitted from the inner face of said supplemental closure to said pressure members so as to clamp the bottles between said pressure members and the bottoms of said pockets, said means including vertically adjustable screws through which pressure is transmitted from said supplemental closure to the respective pressure members, and said screws being adjustable' independently of each other.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto affix my signature.

BRUCE DOUGAN. 

